Eide to brief leaders on UN’s new ‘ideas’

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres: concerned over the lack of progress

The UN secretary-general, concerned by the state of the peace talks, has put forward “some ideas” which his Cyprus envoy, Espen Barth Eide, will put to the two leaders after he returns to Cyprus on Monday.

Eide, who briefed the UN chief, Antonio Guterres, in New York on Friday said they had a “thorough, strategic discussion” on the “way ahead”.

“The special adviser’s first task upon his return to the island next week [on Monday] will be to meet and brief the leaders on the meeting,” UN spokesman Aleem Siddique told the Sunday Mail on Saturday.

No details have been released of what Guturres’ ideas contain, but for him to suggest ways of breaking the deadlock reflects how seriously the international community is taking the possibility of the talks collapsing.

For two years the UN has stressed it is acting solely as a facilitator in a process that is “Cypriot-led”.

The Greek Cypriots vehemently oppose any suggestion of UN arbitration, although the Turkish Cypriots say some involvement by the international body is now needed to save the talks, which are at a critical juncture.

Without waiting for any elaboration on what Guterres’ ideas might entail, hardline Greek Cypriot parties on Saturday again accused Eide of serving Turkish interests and repeated calls for his dismissal.

Remarks by Eide in recent days give the strong impression that while the UN is still hoping for the best, it is also preparing the worst.

Commenting on Eide’s choice to brief Guterres before the two leaders have even concluded their present round of meetings on May 17 Siddique said it was indicative of his eagerness to act “sooner, rather than later”.

“And it is, of course, a reflection of how critical and crucial the coming weeks are,” he said.

In an interview with the Cyprus News Agency before his meeting with Guterres on Friday, Eide said if the leaders failed to reach a deal in the near future, “other options might have to be tabled”.

He voiced concern that if tension were allowed to escalate over drilling scheduled for June in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), it could be “potentially more dramatic than 2014”, when Turkey despatched the Barbaros, a survey ship, and Anastasiades walked out of the peace talks in protest.

With the talks stalling after nearly breaking down completely following the crisis induced by the enosis vote in the House of Representatives, the Turkish Cypriot side is pushing for a more active role for Eide.

In a speech at a forum organised by the Bahcesehir University in Istanbul on Saturday, Akinci touched on this.

“Although arbitration isn’t recommended, the UN could develop its bridging role between the two sides,” he said.

UN arbitration has been anathema to the Greek Cypriot side since 2004, when then secretary-general Kofi Annan filled in the points of disagreement between the two sides to produce the fifth and final version of the Annan plan – subsequently accepted by Turkish Cypriots but rejected by more than three-quarters of Greek Cypriots.

In a series of harsh statements, opposition parties reacted to Eide’s latest effort at pushing the talks forward.

“These remarks contain the serious risk of forcing the Greek Cypriot side to reject United Nations’ ideas and being assigned blame for non-progress or a breakdown,” Diko said on Saturday.

“Diko announces that we will not be bound by anything we assess as new concessions that will lead to the abolition of the Republic of Cyprus.”

In a statement, Edek once more called for Eide’s removal from his role as UN special adviser for Cyprus.

“The secretary general’s representative is once more attempting to intervene in matters of procedure, in a manner that is provocative and unacceptable,” the party said.

“When will the president request his removal?”

While hopes of a Cyprus settlement were high, the UN was mulling plans to beef up its peacekeeping force, Unficyp, to help oversee territorial adjustments.

But in recent weeks the UN has instead been focusing on what will happen to Unficyp if the talks collapse in acrimony.

A report in the Sunday Mail last week suggested that there is a “good chance” the Good Offices Cyprus mission may be closed down, barring a breakthrough in the talks by July, while Unficyp is part of an ongoing broader debate on the operation of UN peace missions across the world.

The Cyprus mission, UN sources suggested, falls under the criteria set in deciding the future of UN presence around the world, suggesting that, if the ongoing talks were to fail, not only UN efforts to facilitate a solution, but Unficyp, too, might soon be a thing of the past – or, at least, scaled down to irrelevance.

Sources on Saturday pointed to Eide’s use of language after the Guterres meeting as being indicative of where the talks are heading.

“The use of the word ‘strategic’ to describe his talk with Guterres suggests looking at long-term options – the role and presence of [UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus] Unficyp, for example, or even continuing the Good Offices mission in Cyprus or not,” a source said on condition of anonymity.

“You know, closing down the mission would be as simple as not appointing a new special adviser, and the decision is solely up to the secretary-general.”

Hardline parties see the reports as an attempt to press the Republic into accepting an unfair and unworkable solution. However, it seems the pressure is mainly coming from the Trump administration which is cutting US funding to the UN.

Look the best solution is no solution! or let Turkey rule the whole of Cyprus as they did in 1571 a good year for wine…………….no?

antonis/ac

“The Middle East is going through mass murders, kidnapping, rapes, the sexual slavery of women and other crimes. And Turkey’s aggressive and supremacist foreign policy, which does not respect the sovereignty of its neighbors, has played a large role in this situation.” (Uzay Bulut, Turkish journalist.)

It is amazing that there people who still cannot see who is the perpetrator and the real culprit in the Cyprus conflict.

SOKRATIS

It should not be amazing to you as most of them are directly or indirectly in the payroll of the British Foreign Office and some N.G.O.’s like P.R.I.O with suspect agendas and funding. As you very well presented even Mr. Uzay Bulut a Turkish journalist has seen who the real perpetrator in our neighborhood really is. And this is none other than Turkey. This is food for thought.

braveheart

There is civil war in Syria, Afghanistan and elsewhere that has not the slightest connection to the reasons why the two parties on the island cannot agree on a deal. Maybe you should add the famine in Ethiopia and the floods in Canada to your list of irrelevancies.

antonis/ac

But Turkey’s aggression, “supremacist foreign policy” and disrespect for the sovereignty of its neighbors does.

Caulkhead

At last it looks as if the UN is prepared to bang heads together. About time!

Slomi

Problem needs to be resolved. UN is administering buffer zone betwen two estranged communities . You might be knowing that buffer area is not in administrative control of Cyprus . Just a bit out of main context. When we all commentators argue among each other , all forget that this Island is not divided in two parts only . The Island is divided into four.(1) British Baseswhich since day one of birth of Cyprus is not in administrative control of Cyprus (2) North Cyprus (3) Buffer Zone not adminitratively controlled by Cyprus (4) area excluding British Bases,and Bufer and North, is the only area administered by Cyprus management.

alexander reutersward

Agree, but I aswell think it is time for the united Nations to leave..the buffer area needs to be divided and the North meets to be recognized by UN.

Slomi

Personally,I agree that this is the time to move on.
But you know, unfortunately, venom as well as vested interests are two powers which are still holding up the natural outcome.

Mist

You missed one, my back yard where the dog is in total control.

Slomi

Haha.your dog knows his rights .

Martin Standage

Thousands of resolutions by the U.N. have never been implimented and never will be so let’s get back to reality!Eide has tried damn hard and deserves everyones support in his efforts-many would have given-up long ago!

The proper way for the UN to solve the Cyprus conflict is to ensure that the Turkish occupation forces leave the island of Cyprus, as demanded in UN Security Council Resolutions 353 and 360. The UNFICYP forces should at the same time be greatly strengthened to protect Turkish Cypriots from Greek Cypriot aggression. Once Turkey has been forced to comply with SC Resolutions 353 and 360, the UN can broker a true settlement between the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots without Turkish intimidation.

Unfortunately, I think Antonio Guterres, just like his predecessors Ban Ki-moon and Kofi Annan, takes his orders from Turkey’s main arms supplier, the United States. (Turkey is the USA’s 3rd largest arms buyer, the world’s 7th largest arms buyer and the world’s 16th largest arms exporter.) So I don’t expect Antonio Guterres to do anything that might hinder US arms sales to Turkey, especially after Donald Trump threatened to reduce the size of the UN gravy train.

braveheart

These are old, tired, and irrelevant ideas. UN resolutions are a dime a dozen, most are non enforceable. The UN peacekeeping force cannot guarantee anybody’s safety, standing by when thousands are butchered in Srebenica or today in African states.
It is time to understand what geopolitics mean: military and economic power talks and little irrelevant states have to grin and bear it.
Sad for some but fact.

Anon

Whenever a solution or decision is close ..the RoC Greek administration and all its shady supporters go into panic mode …
Before blaming Turkey for there not being a settlement…so predictable.

CloudCatcher

So the Talks break down.
UNFICYP leaves.
Turkish warships block gas drilling.
The EU politicos hold lots of ineffective meetings, but they are a long way from Cyprus.
And the Turks will then do what? ….
Perhaps now is a good time to learn to speak Turkish.

Anon

merhaba !

braveheart

Turkey may do all kinds of things but will not start serious military confrontation.

Kibristan

So as far as the hardliners are concerned they will be pressed into an unfair and unworkable solution(s).
This is set against nothing. Nothing, nil, that they have proposed as a fair and workable option after so many years.

Slomi

Eide is trying his level best.

Mist

Break the dead lock, penalty shoot out?

Disruptive

Removal of the UN is one of the options, but what will happen after? Republic of Turkish Cyprus?

Slomi

Easy. The moment Cyprus as the host as well as Requesting for Mission country, requests for ending the mandate and stops funding ,the mater will be taken up forthwith.

Kibristan

The thing is, they could just continue funding and prolong the situation.

Yani

prolong the situation untill when?? .. very last refugeese ?

Pc

Refugee status is hereditary. So, it means it is can be prolonged indefinetelty. Clever eh?

Kibristan

Who knows what the strategy is.

Slomi

This is they are doing.

braveheart

Cannot. The decision is made by the UN, not by the country that provides some financial support.

Disruptive

I was not talking about procedures to remove the UN, but the moment when UN is removed, i.e. UNFICYP is gone.

Slomi

Its not the procedure . It is the only way that you can send /remove UN /UNFICYP back. You invited and only you can remove this office now. This is again a problem which can be solved intrrnally instead of scolding UN all the time.

Disruptive

I thought Security Council is voting/deciding on mission mandate, host country gives consent to bring the UN in only. If SC decised that UNFICYP is not needed, Cyprus cannot say much there or host ‘private’ mission.

Slomi

Pl re read my comment. Thank you.

braveheart

My dear Slomi, you are wrong on this one. The host country may only consent to have UN troops on its territory, the decision to deploy or recall is made by the UN. Financial contributions make no difference.

Slomi

Policy level combines administrative as well as fiscal measures.

braveheart

The key point, dear Slomi, is the fact that missions abroad are decided by the United Nations, not by the host country. Financing comes next.

Slomi

Most of time,on request of the country/people of some place and then requests are considered by UNSC.As happened in case of Cyprus who in liasion with Greece had voluntered fiscal assistance too. Do nt confuse host and requesting country/countries.Indexi?

braveheart

Again, requesting is fine. However, decision is at the mercy of the UNSC.
The point I am making is that Cyprus, or any other state in a similar position, cannot prolong UN assistance by its own decision.

Slomi

Country definitely is entitled to request UNSC at the time of extension of mandate and to inform to stop funding.

braveheart

You are right there. But it is just a request. Decision is made by the UN.

Slomi

Article 50 is also just s “Request”.Formally and diplonatically, these all are called”Requests”.
“I request you to leave my office imediately” .

braveheart

Dear Slomi, I prefer to stay in your office. If you, however, request me to leave, I may or may not do so. :-))

Slomi

Hmmm

braveheart

As mentioned in the article, the UN Secretary General alone is responsible for appointing a Special Advisor to Cyprus (or elsewhere). If he does not replace Eide, once he is gone, it will be the end of local UN assistance to the Cyprob, the peace keeping force is another issue to be decided by the Security Council.

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